People With Zero Real Problems But Lots Of Complaints Usually Say 9 Phrases In Everyday Conversations
stockfour / Shutterstock There are a lot of valid reasons to complain about the world right now, but some people take this to an extreme and find something wrong with absolutely everything.
These people may not even have any truly serious issues to deal with at the moment, but they get stuck in a cycle of chronic complaining because they keep being negative. If you hear someone use this language, it’s a sign that you should stay away from their victim mentality while you still can.
People who have lots of complaints but no real problems tend to say these phrases in everyday conversations:
1. ‘I just can’t’
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It’s really confusing when someone uses a phrase that’s this vague to complain because it doesn’t really mean anything. They aren’t identifying an actual problem or really even explaining how they feel, for that matter. It just sounds dramatic.
Everyone has a negativity bias that makes them focus more closely on the bad things that happen. For some, this becomes totally overwhelming and changes how they see the world. That’s one thing that could make them feel like a minor inconvenience is the end of the world in this way.
2. ‘It’s been a lot’
This is another phrase people love to use when they want to make it sound like they’re really going through it without providing any details. It makes you wonder what, exactly, has been a lot. In most cases, there’s nothing.
As crazy as it sounds, there’s actually evidence that some people just aren’t able to feel gratitude. That would definitely make it hard to be positive, but it also isn’t an excuse for them to drag everyone else down, too. It’s important to figure out if someone’s words really carry any weight.
3. ‘It’s a first world problem’
Labeling things that aren’t that serious as first world problems has been popular for a few years now. The phrase has become controversial because some people use it to minimize others’ concerns as things that don’t really matter.
People sometimes apply this to their own problems, too. They’ll complain about something small and then call it a first world problem as a weird way to excuse their negativity. It’s never OK to act like people’s issues are insignificant, but justifying complaints about minor annoyances isn’t a good look either.
4. ‘I really need a break’
It’s hard for someone who truly does need a break to listen to someone else talk about how badly they need one because of some elusive problem they can’t really describe. It gets even worse when they actually take the break, though.
That’s a clear example of avoidance coping. Instead of dealing with what’s stressing them out, they ignore it and blow it out of proportion in the process. It wouldn’t be that difficult to just work through it, but they run away from it as if it’s something really serious.
5. ‘Nobody understands what I’m going through’
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Everyone does have a real need to feel understood, and it really affects the way people view themselves when they don’t have that assurance. But for people who just want to complain, it’s like they weaponize this difficult feeling we’re all familiar with.
By saying that nobody gets what they’re going through, they’re sending the message that everyone should feel guilty about that. That guilt will then stop them from questioning that person any further, which would have revealed there isn’t a real problem to understand in the first place.
6. ‘Must be nice’
Even though we’re always hearing about how dangerous comparison is, people still do it without even realizing it. That’s exactly what someone is doing when they point out how much better another person’s life is than their own.
When that other person knows that’s happening, it’s really awkward. No one really knows how to respond to someone expressing jealousy over their easier circumstances. That makes this phrase uncomfortable at best and manipulative at worst.
7. ‘I’m not in a good place right now’
Some people feel things more deeply because of their past experiences, which gives them a dramatic vibe. But other people just like the attention they get from people who know about their drama, so they create some when there’s nothing really going on.
This is probably one of the most overdramatic phrases someone could use, especially when there’s nothing serious happening. It’s clearly just a way for them to get sympathy from others without really explaining why they aren’t in a good place.
8. ‘Why is everything so hard?’
There’s no good way to answer this question when nothing is actually hard, but that doesn’t stop complainers from asking it. If someone acts like something is much worse than it really is, it means they’re catastrophizing.
People do this pretty often without thinking about it, but that doesn’t mean some people don’t use it to make themselves feel better, or make others feel worse. Even if they aren’t trying to manipulate someone, that’s exactly what it feels like.
9. ‘I’m really struggling’
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When someone throws around the word struggling, it can sound serious. Most people would take them at their word and move to comfort them instead of trying to pinpoint exactly what that struggle is, which is exactly what they want.
Someone might say they’re really struggling when something totally inconsequential happens if they really like to complain. That’s not fair to the person they’re talking to, or to people who are actually struggling, but they don’t care. They’re only worried about themselves.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
